Knife blank and method of making the same



Feb. 22 1927. v

w. P. WITHEROW KNIFE BLANK AND METHOD OF MAKING THE 'SAME Filed April 7. 1922 2 Sheets-She 1 km A INVENTOR Fatented Feb. 22, N27

WILLIAM F. WITHEROW, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNQR T0 WITHERQW STEEL COMPANY, OF NEVILLE ISLAND, PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVwTA, A. @053;-

EPORATTQN PENNSYLVANIA.

KNIFE BLANK AND METHOD fill? MAKING THE SAME.

Application filed April 7, 1922 Serial No. $9,521.

' The present invention relates to knife blanks and to a method for making the same whereby uniformity of product, together with increased production, is made possible. This application relates specifically to knife blanks. vention described and claimed in my Patent 1,572,343 of Feb. l, 1926, which patent eventuated on 527,202, filed J an. 5,1922.

In the accompanying drawings there is illustrated one form of knife blank'produced in accordance with the present invention, and a form of die rolls by means of which this blank may be produced. It will be understood, however, that the drawings are illustrative only and that changes may be made in the construction and operation of the various parts illustrated Without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of my broader claims.

In the drawings, 1 Figure 1 is a side elevation of a series of knife blanks as they come from the die rolls; Figure 2 is an edge View of the series of blanks illustrated in Figure 1; g

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 111 -111 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line lIV-IV of Figure 1;.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a finished knife produced from the blank illustrated;

Figure 6 is an edge view of the knife lllustrated in Figure 5, and v Figure 7 is a sectional view through a por-v tion of one form of-rolls by meansof which the illustrated blank may be produced.

It has heretofore been proposed, as pointed out in the application referred to, to produce cutlery blanks by die, rolling. Due however, to the difliculties encountered, this method has heretofore never met with any commercial success, and cutlery blanks, such as knife blanks, are usually produced by forging. With the foregoing process, the

production is limited, and absolute uniformity of product is extremely difficult. By the present invention I eliminate the forging entirely, and die roll a connected series of knife blanks having the desired dimensions. These series of blanks may then be easily cut as required to form individual blanks, which may then be trimmed to final shape.-

Tt is a part of my broad in-- patent application Serial No.

Preferably the rolls are designed in such manner that each roll presents recurrent patterns whereby a plurality of knife blanks is produced for each revolution of the rolls. It

will be understood, however, that the specificv construction of the rolls and the arrangement of the segments may be varied as desired. c i

In carrying out the present invention, a suitable bar or billet is first heated to any desired temperature and is then fed between the die rolls. These rolls are adapted to produce a series of connected blanks as illustrated generally in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. The adjacent blanks are connected by an intermediate gating 5 provig for the easy separation of the blanks into individual units. I

- Each blank preferably comprises a handle portion 6 which is rolled to finished dimen-= sions and which gradually tapers in thick- ,nessfrom the gating 5 to the depression 7.

The surplus metal provided in the billet or leader from which the blank is rolled forms a flash 8 at opposite sides of the handle. In knives of this type, the maximum cross-sectional area is preferably represented by. an enlargement 9 intermediate the depression 7 and the blade 10. I have found that by providing a billet or leader having a cross-sec tiona area which is at least equal to, and preferably exactly equal to the cross-sectional area of the finished blank at this point, very desirable results may be obtained. Dueto this proportion of the leader to the finished blank, no reduction is required in forming this portion of the blank and the enlargement affords a good bite for the rolls whereby slipping of the rolls at the commencement of the blade shaping operation is prevented. Each of the blades l0 is formed with a double taper, the thiclmess of the blade gradually decreasing from the enlargement 9 to the gate and also gradually decreasing from the back to the front edge of the blade. By a seriesof experiments I have found that it is desirable to provide the segments 3 with depressions of such dimensions that they will form a relatively thin portion 11 sli htly wider than the width of a finished bla e. This insures the pro vision of sufficient metal in the blanks to permit the subsequent formation of a finished blade of the desired outline, The finished blade is produced by cutting along the chain lines indicated in Figures 1 and 4.

The provision of the portion 11 having dimensions in excess of the finished blade is also advantageous from another standpoint. Due to the reduction required in shaping the blade, there is apt to be a considerable roll spring. Where there is such a springing of the rolls, it will be apparent that it is not possible to produce an accurately rolled shape. I minimize this tendency by making the depressions which form .the blade of sufficient width to accommodate a cbnsiderable portion of the surplus metal. In addition, they may be formed with a flash gutter, as set forth in my co-pending application to receive the flash 8 and the flash l9. projecting from the ed es of the portion 11. However, where the imensioning of the depressions in the rolls is of the character set forth herein, such a flash gutter need not necessarily be provided.

After a series of blanks as shown in Figures 1 and 2 is produced, the blanks .may be separated into 1ndividual units in any desired manner. By reason of the fact that the handle portions 6 are initially rolled to the desired shape, or to finished dimensions, as set forth, such handle 4 ortions may be utilized for centering the b anks during the finishing operation. For this nurpose, I have found trimming dies to be highly satisfactory. The individual blanks may be inserted in the dies with the handle portions in such position that they will be ipped and centered by the dies. This will automatically center the complete blank whereby continued movement of the dies will be effective for forming'the finished knife base as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6.

The advantages of the present invention arise from the method herein set forth of expeditiously producing knife blanks on a quantity basis having uniform character istics permitting the finished bases to be easily formed therefrom.

I claim: 1. In the method of forming knife blanks,

. the steps consisting of heating a leader, dierolling the same to produce a series of knife blanks having a handle formed to the desired shape with the blade secured thereto, and subjecting each of the blanks to the operation of a trimming die which positions the blanks by engagement with the shaped handles and cuts the blades to the desired shape, substantially as described.

2. In the method of forming knife blanks, the steps consisting of heating a leader, dierolling the same to produce a series of knife blanks having handle portions of the desired shape, separating the blanks into units, and trimming the blanks to the desired shape by centering the blanks through engagement with the shaped handle portions, substantially as described.

3. In the method of forming knife blanks, the steps consisting of producing a leader having a cross-sectional area greater than the area of a finished handle but substantially equal to the maximum cross-sectional area of the knife to be roduced therefrom, and die-rolling the leac or to form a connected series of knife blanks, substantially as described.

at. In the method of forming knife blanks, the steps consisting of producin a leader having a cross-sectional area su stantiallv equal to the maximum crosssectional area of-the knife to be produced therefrom, and die-rolling the leader to forms. connected series of knife blanks having a flash formed on both sides thereof, substantially as described.

5. In the method of forming knife blanks, the steps consistin of producing a leader, die-rolling the lear ler to form a connected series of knife blanks, confining the metal to form a blade portion of greater Width than the finished blade, separating said blanks into units, and then trimming each of the units to form a knife therefrom, substantially as described.

6. In the method of forming knife blanks, the steps consisting in die-rollin a leader having a cross-sectional area sub stantially egual to the maximum cross-sectional area 0' the finished knife to be produced therefrom to produce a connected series of knife blanks, havin handle portions die rolled to substantia ly finished width, thickness and length, separating said knife blanks, and formin knives therefrom, substantially as described 7. In the method of forming knife blanks. the ste s consisting in die-rolling a leader to pro uce a blank comprising a handle portion of substantially finished dimensions and a blade forming portion having a Width in excess of the finished blade, and then trimming the blank to form the desired product therefrom, substantially as described.

8. As an article of manufacture, a knife blank having a handle portion of substantially finished dimensions provided with a flash on both sides thereof, and a blade forming portion having a width in excess of the width of the blade to beforined therefrom, doubly tapered blade forming portion havsaid blade forming portion having a flash ing dimensions in excess of the dimensions projecting from both sides thereof, substanof the finished blade to be produced there- 10 tially as described. from, substantially as described.

5 9. As an article of manufacture,-a knife In testimony whereof I have hereunto set blank comprising a handle forming portion my hand. of substantially finished dimensions and a WILLIAM P. WITHEROW. 

